JUDO: IT'LL SWEEP YOU OFF YOUR FEET!

Griffin and Clay Tormey, Chicago. Very Special to the TribuneCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Judo is a very hard sport that beats up on you physically and mentally, but the rewards are sweet! We both have been doing this martial art since we were 6, and it's a big part of who we are. Here's a closer look at the sport:

In judo, you score points against the opposition by either throwing them or pinning them. There are two forms of throwing: In one, you pick up your opponent and flip him onto his back on the mat. In the other, you take out his legs by pushing him in one direction and sweeping his legs with your leg so he falls. Pinning is when you have control of the other person and his back is on the mat. This is kind of like wrestling except you must have control for 25 seconds.

For us to win at the international level, we have to practice four to six hours a week. Not only do we go to judo class, but we also work out away from class. At home, we do 300 sit-ups, push-ups and squats (broken up into sets) each day. We also run about half a mile up a nearly vertical sand dune that is almost 300 feet high. We do this every day for two to four weeks before big tournaments. (Speaking of big events - making it to the Olympics is our biggest goal!)

It gets very hard sometimes to do this kind of training. This is where our mental training comes in. You need to be so tough, because if you aren't, you will give up when the times get tough. One of our favorite quotes is, "Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win!" This quote helps us keep training.

Judo is so tough - but after working so hard and receiving an award, it feels so good!